Amount of yeast needed (dry vs. liquid)

[jlc767]

Quick question. I'm building a custom, all-grain Doppelbock recipe with a grain bill that's pushing 20 pounds. I used an iPhone app and it said I'd need about 7 vials of yeast (WL833 German Bock) and I was wondering, since that would be very expensive, if I could replace the liquid yeast with dry yeast packets and save me some money. Is this possible / recommended?

Thanks!

 

[Revvy]

Everything you need is here http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php

 

[pwndabear]

i assume that 7 vial number is without making starters?

 

[conpewter]

Yes you can use a dry yeast instead, I like dry yeasts when you can use them as they are much easier, they just don't come in as many varieties.

If you use a liquid yeast you should make a starter to up the number of yeast, especially with a doppelbock, as you found out with the iphone app. If you make a big enough starter and step it up enough times you can start with 1 vial of the liquid yeast you had planned to use

 

[jlc767]

Hrmmm. I've never made a starter before. I will look into it, perhaps.

 

[binaryc0de]

I'm also looking at brewing a Doppelbock and would like to use a dry lager yeast if I can. Is there a dry lager yeast available for the home brewer that would ferment a Doppelbock true to style?

 

[Bob]

I generally use W-34/70 if I select a dry lager yeast. It's always performed nicely for me.

As long as you're asking about style...In my opinion, it's better to stick with as few strains of yeast as possible and get to know their behaviors inside and out than it is to select a new strain. Fewer variables means fewer surprises, which means a far greater chance of success.

In my brewery, there's an American yeast (S-05), an English yeast (usually S-04, sometimes Ringwood if I can con the local micro to give me some), a Belgian yeast (Ardennes) and a lager yeast (34/70). I've been using them long enough to know what they're going to do in a given situation.

Good luck!

Bob